The present invention relates to a distributed network computing system, more particularly to a distributed network computing system, wherein a plurality of different kinds of communication networks such as a public communication network, wired LAN (Local Area Network), wireless LAN, etc. are involved together, and wherein application services of various kinds of application software are supplied to the various kinds of terminals connected to these networks such as personal computers(PC), portable PC, which are different in processing capacities, to data exchange apparatus used for the system and to the data exchange method used for the system and the memory media, in which the method is stored and which can be read out by a computer.
In the conventional data processing by a computer, a concentrated processing system, wherein a plurality of terminal equipment are connected to a main computer, has been the mainstream. In the meantime, in the case of a distributed network computing system, a plurality of computers are connected with each other by a network and resources that the respective computers own, are commonly used, and the effective processing can be performed. An environment, wherein the application software are processed by different types of the computers, is called as a distributed computing environment.
In the network, wherein the distributed computing is realized, it is not necessary for the users to know, where are programs and data. As the network functions theoretically, as if the whole network is a computer, the users can utilize the necessary data and functions in their operating situation.
As portable data terminals, such as a personal digital cellular and a personal handyphone system) become popular, the mobile computing has become realistic. For example, it has been made possible, easily to call up the mail outside of the company, and to refer to the information of WWW (World Wide Web) by a combination of PHS and Notebook Personal computer. However, in the mobile environment, there has been a limitation that the same maneuverability as in the office cannot be expected out of the office.
Such limitations are that the communication is interrupted during the communication, or that the display screen of the mobile terminals are uncomfortable to see because of its small size. Under the mobile computing environment, a part of the work, which can be executed only in the office, can be executed out of the office, time can be saved and a quick transaction can be realized. As an application for the mobile computing at its early stage, checking of the electronic mail and confirmation of notice board can be considered. Furthermore, a work that can be executed in the office upon return to the office in order to refer the data available only in the office, can be executed at the office of the customer. As explained in the above, not only the works can be executed out of the office as if works are executed in the office, but also the form of the works which could not be realized in the past environment, can be realized.
Now then, as for the form of the system in case of the mobile computing, several models can be considered depending upon the main portion of the communication. In this case, a model, in which the client takes the initiative and the server computer in the office is utilized by a mobile terminal, is assumed. Besides this form, a form, in which the server computer controls its terminals depending the information from the mobile terminal, as well as a form in which the server computer is used as a hub station that connect the mobile terminals each other, can be considered.
On the other hand, there are many restrictions for accessing to the data in the office, as the mobile communication is used. At the present time, problems such as circuit speed, circuit quality, circuit troubles and communication rates can be considered.
Though a conversion of the attribute data, which are subjected to a control in a network control system, as shown in Laying-Open Hei8-16500, and a conversion of the application program for telephone and data communication as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,675, can be considered, these prior arts disclose nothing to solve the problems, which arise in the form of the system for mobile computing.
Furthermore under the environment of network computing such as mobile computing as described in the above, for example, when the circuit which was connecting the terminal and the server computer, was broken by any reason, the work that had been done between the terminal and the server computer before the breakdown became insignificant, and it was necessary to repeat the same work. Also, under the net work computing environment such as the mobile computing described in the above, when a data processing job, which required a long time, was instructed from a terminal to the server computer, the terminal had to wait with the circuit being connected, until the processing of the aforementioned job was finished by the server computer. So that, the communication rate became high. Besides, during the processing is executed, any other work could not be done on the side of the terminal, which was very inconvenient. Furthermore, the security was not perfect. Further problem is that, the user of the terminal was compelled to login (logon) every time, when the user tried to access to a desired server computer or an application software, which maneuverability was inferior and efficiency was not perfect. Furthermore, There were also cases in the prior art that it was very hard to login (logon) depending upon the type of the terminal used. There were also cases that it was impossible to access to or to login (logon) a desired server computer or an application software depending upon the type of the terminal.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to dissolve the aforementioned problems, and to have application services provided in accordance with the processing capacity of the respective terminal equipment in an environment of the network, wherein various kinds of terminals are existing. Another object of the present invention is, to provide a distributed network computing system, a data exchange apparatus used for the said system, a data exchange method used for the said system and the memory media in which the said method is stored and which can be readout by a computer, which can provide an application service in accordance with the communication capacities of the said infrastructures, even if a plurality of communication infrastructures coexisteds in the environment. In other words, the object of the present invention is to dissolve the aforementioned problems and to have a work in the office continuously executed even in the environment of the mobile computing system.
The another object of the present invention is to have a countermeasure properly taken, even when the communication is broken down during the communication, and further to have the terminal equipment effectively utilized even at the processing data which require a long time, and to provide a economically excellent system and to attain a high security function and to improve the login (logon) function.
In order to attain the said objects, the present invention is conceived as follows:
(1) A distributed network computing system is provided which comprises an data processing apparatus, which supplies an application service such as various application software, various kinds of terminals, which receive the application service from the said data processing apparatus, and a communication network, which connects said data processing apparatus and said terminals, wherein said data processing apparatus is provided with a data exchange device, and said data exchange device further comprises an access control means which controls the connection from the said terminals, a security control means which judges the certification of said terminals with regard to said access means and a function converting means, which converts the contents of the application service to be supplied to said terminals based upon the data from said security control means to the format suitable for said terminals.
According to another embodiment of, the present invention, a distributed network computing system comprising a data processing apparatus, which supplies an application service such as various application software, various kinds of terminals, which receive the application service from said data processing apparatus, and a communication network, which connects said data processing apparatus and said terminals is provided, wherein a network connecting means which connects the networks with each other and a data exchange apparatus, which is provided in said network connecting means, are provided, and said data processing apparatus is provided with a data exchange apparatus, and data exchange apparatus further comprises an access control means which controls the connection from the said terminals, a security control means which judges the certification of the said terminal with regard to the said access means and a function converting means, which converts the contents of the application service to be supplied to said terminal based upon the data from the said security control means to the format suitable for said terminal.
Also, according to the present invention, said access control means is characterized in that the control is executed so as to perform the processing by means of proper connection control system or a manual control system at said terminals.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, said security control means is characterized in that enciphering is performed by means of a proper system at said terminal, when an application service is to be supplied.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, said security means is characterized in that by means of a proper system coding is performed at the same terminal, when the application service is supplied.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, said security control means is characterized in that said security control means, said access control means and said function converting means have a unified view regarding the accessing data terminal by issuing a new discriminator.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, said function converting means is characterized in that said function converting means is provided with a control means for data concerning said terminal and a means that controls the data regarding the interface with the application service and realizes a communication with the application service.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, said function converting means is characterized in that the data is converted into the form suitable to said terminal based upon the communication system used by the said terminal.
According to the present invention, the work in the office can be performed continuously even in a mobile computing environment. In other words, a supply of an application service can be realized, depending upon the processing capacity of the respective terminals and a supply of an application service can be realized depending the communication capacity of the said infrastructure, even if a plurality of communication infrastructures coexisted.
(2) A distributed network computing system is provided which comprises a data processing apparatus, which supplies an application service such as various application software, various kinds of terminals, which receive the application service from said data processing apparatus, and a communication network, which connects the said data processing apparatus and the said terminals, wherein said data processing apparatus is provided with a data exchange device, and said data exchange apparatus further comprises an access control means which controls the connection from said terminals, a security control means which judges the certification of said terminals with regard to the said access means and a function converting means, which converts the content of the said application service to be supplied to said terminals basing upon the data from said security control means to the format suitable for said terminals, a connection control means, which controls the connection condition with said terminals so as to provide the service content converted by means of said function converting means depending upon the connection condition.
According to another embodiment of the present invention a distributed network computing system is provided which comprises a data processing apparatus, which supplies an application service such as various application software, various kinds of terminals, which receive the application service from the said data processing apparatus, a communication network, which connects the said data processing apparatus and said terminals, a network connecting means which connects the networks with each other and a data exchange apparatus, which is provided in said network connecting means, wherein said data exchange apparatus further comprises an access control means, which controls the connection process from the terminals, a security control means which judges the certification of said terminals with regard to the said access means, a function converting means, which converts said service content of the application service to be supplied to said terminal to the format suitable for said terminal equipment based upon the data from the said security control means, and a connection control means which controls the connection condition with said terminals and provides the content of the service converted by means of the said function converting means based upon the said connection condition.
Also, according to the present invention, said access control means is characterized in that the control is executed so as to perform the processing by means of proper connection control system or a manual control system at the said terminals.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, said security control means is characterized in that enciphering is performed by means of a proper system at said terminal, when an application service is to be supplied.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, said security control means is characterized in that said security control means, said access control means and said function converting means have a unified view regarding the access to said data terminals by issuing a new discriminator.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, said function converting means is characterized in that said function converting means is provided with a control means of data concerning said terminal and a means that controls the data regarding the interface with the application service and realizes a communication with application service.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, said function converting means is characterized in that the data is converted into the form suitable to said terminal based upon the communication system used by the said terminal.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, said connection control means is characterized in that the interrupted data can be transmitted successively from the interrupted position by the breakdown based upon the record of data conversion record and the record of the connection to said terminal.
According to the present invention, the work in the office can be performed continuously even in a mobile computing environment. In other words, a supply of an application service can be realized depending upon the processing capacity of the respective terminals, and a supply of an application service can be realized depending the communication capacity of the said infrastructure, even if a plurality of communication infrastructures are coexisted.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, a proper countermeasure can be taken, even if in the case of breakdown when the communication is interrupted. In addition, in case of a data processing work which requires a long time, the terminal can be utilized effectively.
(3) A distributed network computing system is provided which comprises a data processing apparatus, which supplies an application service such as various application software, various kinds of terminals, which receive the application service from said data processing apparatus, and a communication network, which connects said data processing apparatus and said terminals. The system is characterized in that said data processing apparatus is provided with a data exchange device, and that said data exchange apparatus further comprises an access control means which controls the connection from said terminals, a security control means which judges the certification of said terminals with regard to said access means and a function converting means, which converts the contents of the said application service to be supplied to said terminals based upon the data from said security control means to the format suitable for the said terminals, a connection control means, which controls the connection condition so as to provide the service contents converted by means of said function converting means depending upon the connection condition, and a control means, through which said terminal is enabled to readout the specific data, when said terminal is in connection through the said network and also said terminal satisfies the specified conditions to request an access to the specified data.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a distributed network computing system is provided which comprises a data processing apparatus, which supplies an application service such as various application software, various kinds of terminals, which receive the application service from said data processing apparatus, and a communication network, which connects said data processing apparatus with said terminals, and a data exchange apparatus, which is provided in said data processing apparatus, wherein said data exchange apparatus further comprises an access control means, which controls the connection process from the terminals, a security control means which judges the certification of said terminals with regard to said access control means, a function converting means, which converts said service contents of the application service to be supplied to the said terminal to the format suitable for the said terminals based upon the data from the said security control means, and a connection control means which controls the connection condition with said terminals and provides the contents of the service converted by means of the said function converting means based upon said connection condition, and a control means, through which said terminal is enabled to readout the specific data, when said terminal is in connection through said network and also said terminal satisfies the specified conditions to request an access to the specified data.
According to the present invention, said access control means is characterized in that the control is executed so as to perform the processing by means of a proper connection control system or a manual control system at the said terminals.
According to the present invention, said security control means is characterized in that enciphering is performed by means of a proper system at said terminal, when an application service is to be supplied.
According to the present invention, said security control means is characterized in that said security control means, said access control means and said function converting means have a unified view to the terminals accessing to the network, by issuing a new identifier.
According to the present invention, said function converting means is characterized in that said function converting means is provided with a means that controls the information regarding said terminals and a means which controls the information regarding the interface with the application service and realizes the communication with the application service.
According to the present invention, said function converting means is characterized in that the data is converted into the form suitable to said terminal based upon the communication system used by the said terminal.
According to the present invention, said connection control means is characterized in that the interrupted data can be transmitted successively from the interrupted position at the breakdown based upon the record of data conversion record and the record of connection condition to the said terminal.
According to the present invention, said data exchange apparatus and at least one of the said terminal are provided with a remote agent function, and said data exchange apparatus is characterized in that said data exchange apparatus and said terminal are enabled to execute a data cache function.
According to the present invention, the work in the office can be performed continuously even in a mobile computing environment. In other words, a supply of an application service can be realized, depending upon the processing capacity of the respective terminals, and a supply of an application service can be realized depending the communication capacity of the said infrastructure, even if a plurality of communication infrastructures are coexisted.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, a proper countermeasure can be taken even if in the case of breakdown when the communication is interrupted. In addition, in case of a data processing work which requires a long time, the terminal can be utilized effectively and is economically excellent, and the security function can be improved.
(4) A distributed network computing system is provided which comprises a data processing apparatus, which supplies an application service such as various application software, various kinds of terminals, which receive the application service from said data processing apparatus, and a communication network, which connects said data processing apparatus and said terminals. The system is characterized in that said data processing apparatus is provided with a data exchange device, and that said data exchange apparatus further comprises an access control means which controls connection from said terminals, a security control means which judges the certification of said terminals with regard to said access means and a function converting means, which converts the contents of the said application service to be supplied to said terminals based upon the data from said security control means to the format suitable for the said terminals, a connection control means, which controls the connection condition so as to provide the service content converted by means of said function converting means depending upon the connection condition, a control means, through which said terminal is enabled to readout the specific data, when said terminal is in connection through the said network and also said terminal satisfies the specified conditions to request an access to the specified data, and a control means which executes a certification processing by means of a proper system and controls the login (logon) processing in accordance with the terminals by means of a proper method depending upon the result of the certification process.
Furthermore, according to the present invention a distributed network computing system is provided which comprises a data processing apparatus, which supplies an application service such as various application software, various kinds of terminals, which receive the application service from the said data processing apparatus, and a communication network, which connects said data processing apparatus with said terminals, and a data exchange apparatus, which is provided in the said network connecting means, wherein said data processing apparatus further comprises an access control means, which controls the connection process from the terminals, a security control means which judges the certification of said terminals with regard to the access control means, a function converting means, which converts said service contents of the application service to be supplied to the said terminal to the format suitable for the said terminals based upon the data from the said security control means, a connection control means which controls the connection condition with the said terminals and provides the contents of the service converted by means of the said function converting means based upon said connection condition, a first control means, through which said terminal is enabled to readout the specific data, when said terminal is in connection through the said network and also said terminal satisfies the specified conditions to request an access to the specified data, and a second control means which executes a certification processing by means of a proper system and controls the login (logon) processing in accordance with the terminals by means of a proper method depending upon the result of the certification process.
According to the present invention, said access control means is characterized in that the control is executed so as to perform the processing by means of proper connection control system or a manual control system at the said terminals.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, said security control means is characterized in that enciphering is performed by means of a proper system at the said terminal, when an application service is to be supplied.
According to the present invention, said security control means is characterized in that said security control means, said access control means said function converting means have a unified view to the terminal accessing to the network by issuing a new identifier.
According to the present invention, said function converting means is characterized in that said function converting means is provided with a control means of the concerning the said terminals and a means that controls the information regarding the interface with the application service and realizes a communication with the application service.
According to the present invention, said function converting means is characterized in that the data are converted into the form proper for the terminal depending upon communication system that said terminal utilizes.
According to the present invention, said connection control means is characterized in that the interrupted data can be transmitted successively from the interrupted position at the breakdown based upon the record of data conversion record and the record of connection condition to the said terminal.
According to the present invention, said data exchange apparatus and at least one of the said terminal are provided with a remote agent function, and said data exchange apparatus is characterized in that said data exchange apparatus and the said terminal is enabled to execute a data cache function.
According to the said constitution, the work in the office can be performed continuously even in a mobile computing environment. In other words, a supply of an application service can be realized depending upon the processing capacity of the respective terminals and a supply of an application service can be realized depending the communication capacity of the said infrastructure, even if a plurality of communication infrastructures are coexisted.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, a proper countermeasure can be taken even if in the case of breakdown when the communication is interrupted. In addition, in case of a data processing work which requires a long time, the terminal can be utilized effectively and economically with, the security function improved. The login (logon) function also and the maneuverability can be also improved.